1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mine cooling power recovery system delivering a cold water or ice slurry for cooling mines, e.g. a gold mine and diamond mine and pumping a warm water or mud slurry produced in the mines up to the ground surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior-art mine cooling processes have failed to clearly disclose a changeover between means for delivering a cold water from the ground surface to an underground mine and lifting a warm water produced in the mine up to the ground surface and means for lifting a mud slurry up to the ground surface. In addition, one prior-art mine cooling process employs a manometer with a contact for controlling opening and shutting operations of valves of a mine cooling system.
For example, South African patent No. 82/0078 is related with such mine cooling processes.
The prior-art mine cooling processes have failed to take into account a pumping up of the mud slurry produced when the cold water is scattered in the mine. Thus, a high-pressure pump for pumping the mud slurry out of the underground mine up to the ground surface and an associated high-pressure pipeline must be provided together with the mine cooling power recovery system.
In addition, the prior-art mine cooling processes employ a manometer with a contact for controlling opening and shutting operations of shut-off valves and of equalizing valves connected to opposite ends of a pressure changeover feed chamber. The prior-art mine cooling processes have failed to take into account a service life of the mine cooling power recovery system.